Bill > H931

This bill establishes a Blue Communities Program designed to incentivize local action to reduce nutrient pollution and ocean acidification in coastal, ocean, and freshwater environments. The program will provide technical and financial assistance through grants and loans to municipalities that meet specific criteria. To qualify as a blue community, local governments must file an application and adopt at least five out of nine proposed environmental initiatives, which include establishing liquid hazardous waste programs, implementing groundwater protection regulations, creating rain barrel programs, developing shell collection systems, supporting regenerative ocean farming, monitoring water quality, eliminating sewer overflows, restricting fertilizer use, and developing stormwater utility programs. Municipalities must also create a blue community plan that prioritizes environmental justice communities and report their progress every two years. The bill establishes a Blue Communities Fund, which will be financed through various sources including offshore wind contributions, cap-and-invest programs, sales tax on fertilizers, and other related revenue streams. The executive office will be responsible for administering the program, creating guidelines, determining funding structures, and submitting annual reports to the state legislature. The bill also adds several key definitions to existing law, including terms like "coastal waters," "eutrophication," "nutrient pollution," and "ocean acidification" to provide clarity and context for the program.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H931